Economic slowdown and slimming household budgets have led to a decline in consumer spending on food [in Jordan], Foodstuff Traders Association (FTA) President Samer Jawabreh said on Sunday.

Jawabreh told The Jordan Times that the local food market has been hit by the decline in the purchasing power of consumers, which he said has prompted retailers to launch unprecedented discount offers on most commodities.

The FTA president blamed the drop in consumer spending on the government’s decision to lift fuel subsidies late last year, which forced households to rearrange their budgets.

“Although food remains a number one priority for consumers, the rise in fuel prices made them spend less on food items,” he said.

Jawabreh noted that large supermarkets have been offering discounts on a “large number of food items”, adding that these offers are good for consumers but not for merchants who are losing revenues.

He indicated that strategic reserves of basic food items are enough for 60 days, a period he described as not long enough because merchants and authorities prefer that commodities cover the country’s needs for at least 90 days.